Chapter 574 67: Bloodshed

"Song Xianming, get out here and fight me!"

He Tai hovered in the air, brandishing the [Silver Flood Dragon Mace] and shouting his challenge. His Mana surged forth like a torrent from a burst dam.

Beside him, Rong Mingtao, Zhang Yu, and the man in black robes were just as imposing. Their powerful auras merged, pressing down on the fighting Cultivators below, making them feel as if a great stone were crushing their chests.

Song Xianming and Yuann Tianshu also rose into the air, confronting the four of them from across the sky.

His gaze swept over He Tai and Rong Mingtao before finally settling on Zhang Yu and the secretive, black-robed figure. Song Xianming's eyes narrowed.

'Four Purple Mansion Cultivators before me now. Add to them Zhang Hongguang attacking the Moon Viewing Marketplace and that unknown Tier Three Array Master pulling strings from the shadows... that makes six of them.'

'Six Purple Mansion Cultivators. What a force they've assembled!' Song Xianming's heart sank. He had expected He Tai to have something up his sleeve, but this was beyond his projections.

Fortunately, he had prepared for the worst. With the help of the Grand Array, they still had a fighting chance. Even if they were ultimately defeated, they would make their enemies pay a heavy price!

Though shocked, his face remained impassive. He looked at Rong Mingtao and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Rong, you've finally shown yourself. The Song Clan and the Rong Clan have no past grievances or recent enmity. We've even fought side-by-side. Why are you doing this today?"

Rong Mingtao's expression was placid as he replied coolly, "If Fellow Daoist Song could just slow the pace of the Song Clan's growth, then I wouldn't have to be here."

Hearing this, a cold smile touched Song Xianming's lips.

To put it simply, Rong Mingtao was afraid.

Among the Purple Mansion Cultivators of the three great clans, Song Xianming was the youngest. Furthermore, the Song Clan was producing talent in every generation and already had successors in place.

He Tai was getting on in years, but Zhang Hongguang had already broken through to the Purple Mansion realm. Even if his aptitude was slightly lacking, he could at least preserve the Lieyang Sect's legacy.

The Rong Clan, however, was a different story. Rong Mingtao was already over four hundred years old, a venerable age even for a Purple Mansion Cultivator. If he couldn't find any Heavenly and Earthly Treasures to extend his lifespan, he would pass away within the next few decades.

The Rong Clan hadn't produced any gifted juniors for several generations, and Rong Mingtao had no confidence that he could cultivate a new Purple Mansion Cultivator within the next century.

Once he passed away, without a Purple Mansion Cultivator to protect them, the Rong Clan would likely be unable to preserve its legacy in the face of the predatory Lieyang Sect and the rapidly rising Song Clan.

Therefore, he had to eliminate a major threat to his clan before his own time ran out.

His original target had been the Lieyang Sect, but the news of Song Changsheng's imminent breakthrough to the Purple Mansion realm changed his mind.

Both Song Changsheng and Song Xianming were far too young—and they were both Tier Three Array Masters!

Compared to the Lieyang Sect, which would be focused on simply maintaining its territory in the future, the rapidly expanding Song Clan was undoubtedly the greater threat.

That was why he chose to set aside past grudges and strangle the potential threat of the Song Clan in its cradle.

Understanding his stance, Song Xianming wasted no more breath on him. He turned his gaze to Zhang Yu and the man in black. "And what about you two?"

"Hand over Song Changsheng, and I will leave," the black-robed man said, taking a step forward. His voice was chilling.

"I'm just here for the show. Fellow Daoist Song need not waste his time on me," Zhang Yu said with a casual smile. He wasn't from the Daqi Cultivation World, so he had no fear of his identity being exposed.

Song Xianming's brow furrowed. "So there's nothing left to discuss?"

"There was never anything to talk about," the black-robed man said, cracking his neck. He threw his arms wide, and endless Spiritual Qi converted into immense Water Spiritual Power, forming a monstrous tidal wave that surged toward Song Xianming.

"[Stabilize the Realm]," Song Xianming called out. A streak of light shot skyward from within the mist, and with a howl of piercing Sword Qi, it instantly cleaved the massive wave in two.

"We'll help you!"

He Tai, wielding his [Silver Flood Dragon Mace], and Rong Mingtao, holding a large, azure banner aloft in one hand, closed in on Song Xianming to kill him. For a moment, a terrifying aura saturated the air.

Under the Grand Array's influence, the three attackers' strength was suppressed by ten to twenty percent. Meanwhile, empowered by the array, Song Xianming's power surged dramatically. He was actually holding his own, one against three.

Seeing this, Yuann Tianshu moved to help, but Zhang Yu instantly blocked his path.

"Fellow Daoist Yuann, you are an Honored Guest of the Song Clan, and I am merely here for the show. Why don't we watch from the sidelines and save ourselves the effort?" Zhang Yu said with a grin, flicking open an Iron Fan.

"Hmph. Let's see what you're really made of!"

SWISH! Yuann Tianshu's sword transformed into a streak of silver light, shooting straight for Zhang Yu's face.

"Then I shall gladly test your skills, Fellow Daoist Yuann." Zhang Yu let out a sharp cry. His Iron Fan snapped open with a WHOOSH, its surface glinting coldly in the dazzling sunlight.

CLANG—

The tip of the sword struck the face of the fan. The immense force of the impact nearly knocked the Iron Fan from Zhang Yu's grasp. His eyes lit up in admiration. "A fine sword!"

His gaze grew sharp, his lazy expression turning serious. With a pulse of Mana, a powerful aura swept out in all directions.

In a flash, he and Yuann Tianshu were locked in combat...

On the summit of Vast Mist Peak, Song Luzhou watched the six Purple Mansion Cultivators battling in the sky, his face etched with anxiety.

'Although Song Xianming can fight He Tai and the others on equal footing for a while,' he thought, 'his body has its limits. He can't contain the power of the Clan Protection Array indefinitely. If this drags on, he's bound to be defeated.'

"Fifth Grand-uncle, what do we do now?" This was the first time Song Qingming had witnessed such a scene, and he couldn't help but feel nervous, his palms slick with sweat.